


Christmas Time

by DemonWalker



Category: In The Flesh
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, vomitting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-28
Updated: 2014-06-28
Packaged: 2018-02-06 15:29:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1862967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonWalker/pseuds/DemonWalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"...Normally this would calm him and he would be so thankful, which he still is, but he's also pissed."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Time

**Author's Note:**

> I, anonymously, sent this to sassykierenwalker on Tumblr;  
> Okay okay angsty; imagine that for whatever reason Sue and Steve throw a christmas meal, and Kieren agrees again to pretend to eat, and Simon feels so bad about not eating, but he can't do what Kieren's doing, so he just eats, and sue is shocked, and feels really bad, and Steve is impressed. but then ofc Simon's really ill an hour later, and Kieren looks after him and Steve realises how unfair it is to expect Kieren (& Simon) to sit with them and pretend to eat.
> 
> sassykierenwalker:
> 
> And then they have a fight because Kieren can’t take it anymore and yells at his parents and Simon feels bad because it’s his fault: why on earth did he eat? They leave the house and Simon doesn’t stop apologizing but he eventually tells Kieren he is proud of him because he finally told his parents how he feels about this masquerade and they hug and kiss <3
> 
> Of course I had to then write this.

Christmas at the Walker's became an increasingly big deal the older both Jem and Kieren got, Jem gets a little frustrated with it sometimes, but in the long run, both siblings understand it; it's always been a family affair with board games and DVDs, over-eating and generally just spending time together as a family, and with everything that's happened, while Kieren is completely not in the mood for a huge celebration thirteen days after losing his best friend, he understands that this is something his parents need. Something maybe they  _all_  need. 

And his parents are trying; his mum corners him on his way to check up on Simon about three days prior to Christmas, and asks him to ask Simon to join them. Kieren knows that they're trying hard around him, that he went up in their estimations after what he did in the graveyard. He hasn't spoken to them about the fact Simon was originally going to kill him. He's not going to, either. It's in the past, he knows Simon wouldn't. He's sure, because Simon gave up everything for him, and then told him everything; which he needn't. He changed his mind and isn't going to change it back, Kieren didn't need him to tell him Simon almost murdered him, but... he's grateful for the fact that Simon felt comfortable enough to tell him everything that he did. Kieren was shocked, maybe a little disappointed, and very confused, at first, but he understood. Simon felt he had to do it, he's only ever been accepted by the ULA, of course he felt he had to do what was asked of him; what mattered is that he didn't, what mattered is that if Simon had known that Amy was the first, he would not have killed Amy either. Kieren is sure of it, even if Simon is not. 

On Christmas day, the tree is overly decorated... Hell, the entire house, especially the living room, is over-decorated, and when Simon enters, he looks a mix of petrified and disgusted, but he covers quite well when Steve walks over with a slight smile on his face, and his hand out-stretched. Kieren is mightily impressed with Simon. He knows this can't be easy for him, but knows also that it's good for him. Simon talks Hollywood films with his dad, sat close together; at first, Simon practically nods and agrees with everything, but after twenty minutes, Simon relaxes and becomes more comfortable in the debate and actually begins to give his own thoughts and opinions, he begins to disagree with Steve, and Kieren can't help but lean over the back of the sofa and kiss his cheek. 

Jem offers the room a drink, mostly talking to their dad, and Simon looks, wide eyed, at Kieren as if questioning whether or not he is expected to answer; Jem ignores them completely and only waits for their dad's answer before going back into the kitchen to help their mum out. Kieren and Simon attempted to help earlier on, but were both forced to leave when they caused there to be more mess, than actually proving helpful. There aren't many issues, actually.   
  
Until dinner.

Sue, of course, was still very much in to the habit of dishing up dinner for Kieren, despite the fact he didn't eat. He managed to avoid lunch and breakfast at all costs. Was always out for lunch, and managed to get away with merely sitting with an empty bowl, plate or mug at breakfast. But, for some reason, neither his mum nor his dad can get used to him sitting without food at dinner, and so, Sue places food in front of both Kieren and Simon. Jem watches them both for a few seconds, once Simon picks up the knife and fork in front of him out of politeness, and Kieren and slipped his hands, clasped together, between his thighs, before she starts eating, realising that Kieren isn't even going to pretend, and smiling to herself. Sue ignores the mistake and digs in straight away. Steve...watches. When he realises both Jem and Sue have started to eat, he does pick up his knife and fork, but he glances between Kieren and Simon's plates, at Simon's hands...

Simon starts to eat. 

Kieren's face must be a picture, he realises; his jaw goes slack and he stares at him. He wants to tell him not to, to stop, that he doesn't have to, shouldn't feel like he has to, but he also doesn't want to make it a big deal, because he doesn't understand why Simon's decided to do this, but he doesn't want to make things awkward for Simon, because he can guess that that's what made Simon decide to do this in the first place. He straightens his face and decides he won't make a big deal about it, he really does not want to put Simon in a more awkward position than he clearly already has.

Jem stops eating and glances between them before looking directly at Kieren, he shakes his head at her gently, asking her silently  _please_  to just ignore it.  His mum, he's awfully aware of, looks guilty, which he's glad for, he can feel anger curling in his gut, so it gives him a sick sort of pleasure to know that she's realising how uncomfortable she must've made Simon feel for him to feel as though he has to force himself to go through this. It's the fact that his dad actually looks  _thankful_ and  _impressed_ that makes him bunch his hands into fists, clench his jaw tightly he can feel his teeth grit together what he would think was painfully, if he could really feel it. 

Kieren realises, when dinner is over, that the price Simon is going to pay for his politeness is not going to take long to hit, so excuses them both to go upstairs. The second Simon reaches the top step, he's rushing for the bathroom, Kieren trailing behind him; he doesn't reach the loo, before unloading the awful blue-black congealed and lumpy mess into the sink. Kieren realises that it smells of rotting food, which would make him laugh, any other time. 

Simon does move to sit near the loo, but refuses to leave the bathroom, even after they are both sure that he's finished. He does stand to rinse his mouth out and wipe his face of the odd stain the goo seems to leave on their off-white skin. His eyes are not as clear as usual, having an odd yellow tint to them now, and he looks like he just wants to crawl into a corner. He looks scared and guilty, too, as if he's expecting Kieren to tell him off, as if he's worried he ruined something. He looks like he did as he told Kieren about how his father stormed into his room late one night and told him he was not worthy of looking at the photograph of himself and his mother, and threw him out of the house. He looks young, and small, and Kieren never thought he'd think it, but he hates his parents for it. Hates them as much as he hates Bill whenever Rick would say something straight out of Bill's mouth. 

He's downstairs with his hands balled into fists, standing behind the sofa before he realises it, all eyes on him. Jem seems to give him this look, almost supportive, almost questioning if she should sit with Simon, and normally this would calm him and he would be so thankful, which he still is, but he's also  _pissed._

"This is your fault! You know we don't eat, why do you not...I get that you want to involve me, him,  _us_ ; but do you now see how uncomfortable it makes us feel?! This isn't fair. We're different,  _okay_?! We don't eat! You shouldn't get to make us feel like we have to! Like  _he_  has to!" 

Kieren realises he spoke over stuttered half words from both parents, but he doesn't care. He now feels Simon's presence behind him, at the doorway, and feels awfully like he should reassure him that this isn't his fault, but he can't, not right now. 

"This charade you have me playing along with stops now, okay? No more." 

He grabs his and Simon's jackets off the arm of the sofa and tugs on Simon's sleeve as he slips past him to leave, not looking back at his parents, but nodding minutely to Jem as they make their way out. She didn't do anything, and he feels bad for leaving her with them, but he just needs to leave, and he needs to pull Simon away, he needs to talk to him away from them. Away from this. 

They walk in silence until they get directly outside the door of the bungalow, and then Simon's grabbing Kieren's elbow, uttering his name and pulling him back, looking determined. 

"Kieren, 'm sorry. I didn't... I'm sorry I ruined yer family Christmas."

Kieren could cry right there, if he's honest. He doesn't trust himself not to be insulting to his idiot of a boyfriend, though, so he just leans up to make up for the slight height difference, all the while shaking his head and pulling out of Simon's grip to rest hands on Simon's face and plant a kiss on his lips gently. He laughs into the kiss when he realises Simon must have rinsed his mouth out with mouthwash. 

Pulling back just slightly, he grins and calls Simon an idiot, before leaning back in for another kiss, only to be interrupted by the door being pulled open.

"God, you two, you're going to catch your death!" 


End file.
